New bridge reconnects Iowa, Wis. over Mississippi

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The new bridge is almost double in width and made of concrete instead of steel grating. It includes other improvements for both river and land traffic.

A ceremony is planned for Friday to open a new bridge spanning the Mississippi River between northeastern Iowa and western Wisconsin.

The river crossing at Lansing, Iowa, is the only bridge across the Mississippi in a 60-mile stretch — between La Crescent in Minnesota, and Prairie du Chien in Wisconsin.

The old bridge — which dated back to 1931 — closed last year and was demolished last winter.

Its replacement originally was scheduled to open in 2027. But state transportation officials said the project moved faster than expected — in part due to the “concentrat...